Good morning. Today’s email is brought to you by our World Cup sponsors, InjuryLawyers4U. If you’ve had an accident that wasn’t your fault, you need them.

FOOTBALL

⛰️ Tuch the sky

They say the altitude in Mexico City is worth a goal to the home team, especially as England only have two days to acclimatise.

But if Tommy wants to roll the dice, he could follow the managerial wisdom of the great Diego Maradona.

Ahead of a crucial World Cup qualifier in 2009, Diego insisted his team travel to the high-altitude city just hours before kick-off.

Fresh off the plane, a squad including Messi, Aguero and Di Maria were hit by a wave of altitude sickness and lost 6-1, which was a joint-record defeat.

"Every goal was like a stab in my heart," Maradona lamented, although that could have been the altitude sickness. Or all the cocaine.

FOOTBALL

🐈 Bye bye Bobby, Bobby goodbye

With Lee Dixon in the gantry, there was always going to be stiff competition for the saddest bit of commentary at this World Cup.

But a wistful Danny Murphy might have clinched it this week, after Oscar Bobb came on for Norway against Ivory Coast:

Thankfully the story doesn’t end there. During last night’s Spain game, Danny provided further context:

Weirdly, Danny’s wasn’t the first story of a pet reunion at this World Cup. On Wednesday, a Mexican woman was reunited with her missing dog after a month apart.

She spotted the pooch in another fan’s post-match live stream.

😴 Good Auld days

We’re not wild about hydration breaks or extra VAR laws, but we have to admit, the new refcam has been a pretty good addition to this World Cup.

It’s just a shame we didn’t have it back in 1930, when it could have captured the best moment in World Cup history.

USA were playing Argentina in a heated semi final, when American physio Jack Coll rushed on to the field to confront the ref over a dodgy decision.

He tripped, dropped his medical bag, and smashed a bottle of chloroform, knocking himself unconscious and temporarily blinding USA midfielder Andy Auld.

If, like Andy, you’ve been unsighted by a bumbling medic, you should call Injury Lawyers4U.

They’re no win, no fee, and they can help with any injury that wasn’t your fault.

Call 0330 127 8437 or visit their website today.

FOOTBALL

💔 Lo blow

They’re going home early, they’ve lost a penalty shootout, and now they’re blaming the WAGs: Germany’s transformation into Sven-Göran Eriksson’s England is complete.

Speaking to the tabloid Bild, former captain Lothar Matthäus said of the players’ wives and girlfriends:

To be fair, Lothar might have a point. His girlfriend didn’t fly out to watch him lift the World Cup in 1990.

Mainly because she wasn’t born until 1999.

FOOTBALL

✈️ Korea criminal

Speaking of knockout-induced hysteria, South Korea’s meltdown is still happening.

Following their early exit, 150 riot officers had to be deployed at Incheon Airport to protect the players and former manager Hong Myung-bo as they returned home.

And since then, a number of Korean businesses - including a supermarket and a BBQ restaurant - have banned Hong from entering their premises.

Still, it could be worse.

When North Korea returned home from the 2010 World Cup after a 7-0 thrashing at the hands of Portugal, manager Kim Jong-hun was sentenced to hard labor on a construction site.

His current whereabouts are unknown…

GOLF

💪 There is an idea of a Phil Mickelson. Some kind of abstraction. But there is no real Phil.

We told you Phil Mickelson was a dirty dog, and now the full details of his grubby behaviour have come to light thanks to an excellent long read by Skratch Golf magazine.

Firstly, they confirmed the story we’ve long told about Phil regularly handing his phone to an employee at his local club, and paying them $500 to play a round.

That way, when Phil’s wife tracked his movements on Find My Friends, she wouldn’t know he was with his latest girlfriend.

Secondly, Skratch revealed Phil’s womanising was so brazen, he had a permanent condo at one golf club where he would install his mistresses.

And finally, they shared the sordid details of Phil’s falling out with former friend Pat Perez.

When Pat nipped to the bog during one dinner at Phil’s house, Mickelson whipped out his phone and showed Pat’s wife a photo of himself “naked with an erection flexing one bicep.”

Which sounds quite American Psycho…

FOOTBALL

💊 Pills, pistols and Pablo Escobar

Sure, 39-year-old Lionel Messi might be tearing up this World Cup. But has he ever had a kick about with Pablo Escobar?

Diego Maradona did, and he did a lot of other things at the ‘94 World Cup as well.

From drugs in hotel rooms to shooting reporters with air rifles, watch the story of Diego’s last dance on our YouTube.

💉 Quick hits

😬 In 89 competitive matches, Mexico have only lost twice at the Azteca. They’ve never lost a World Cup game there.

⛰️ The highest altitude stadium in English football is the Hawthorns (551ft), which is 14 times closer to sea level than the Azteca.

⚽ Harry Kane has now scored more World Cup goals than Pele.

✈️ Despite FIFA stating they’ll reduce their emissions by 50% by 2030, president Gianni Infantino has travelled 31,000 miles by private jet in the last two weeks.

🏏 Former Leicester defender Christian Fuchs played village cricket for Grindleford in Derbyshire this week. He blew a kiss to a bowler after smashing him for six into a river.

🔑 Get The Upshot ad-free twice a week when you upgrade to Upshot Gold.

AND FINALLY…

💈 Dreadlock holiday

Just when you thought Alejandro Garnacho couldn’t get any more smackable, he went and braided his hair.